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Spring ISD expands STEM elementary pilot to four campuses with corporate partners funding robots and kits
Summary
The district presented a spring update on STEM elementary pilots at Clark, Heritage, Reynolds and Thompson elementaries, citing Project Lead The Way curriculum, corporate-funded robotics and media-maker partnerships and planned family engagement events including telescope nights.
Spring Independent School District trustees received an update Thursday on the district's STEM elementary pilot that the administration is expanding to four campuses and supporting with outside partnerships and curricular materials.
Dr. Eric Tingle, director of strategic innovation, told the board the effort aims to build a K'12 STEM pipeline beginning at the elementary level to retain students and strengthen feeder relationships into high schools with STEM programming. "STEM education is something that our parents are interested in," Tingle said, summarizing the initiative's goals.
What the pilot includes: The district is using the Project Lead The Way curriculum for hands-on, project-based learning; Deloitte provided "Smart Rover" robots and training for library media specialists free of charge; ExxonMobil is funding first Lego league robotics teams including kits, event transportation and shirts; and Deloitte University supported procurement of telescopes for family telescope nights.
Campus updates: Principals from Reynolds, Heritage, Clark and Thompson described classroom and extracurricular activities. - Clark Elementary (principal identified in materials as "Miss Shaq") plans to expand robotics to third grade, increase fidelity of Project Lead The Way lessons and designate a dedicated STEM teacher at the 3-5 grade levels so science instruction occurs routinely rather than as an occasional rotation, district staff said. The principal reported a notable decline in student behavior after STEM activities were put into rotation. - Heritage Elementary described a first-year robotics team that competed in three events and hosted a STEM day in partnership with the Houston Museum of Natural Science; leaders said they will add STEM clubs such as gardening, chess and Science Olympiad next year and ensure weekly hands-on science lessons aligned to the HMH curriculum. - Reynolds Elementary said Project Lead The Way activities are generating student engagement, collaboration among teachers and greater parent turnout at events such as telescope night. - Thompson Elementary described an approach that integrates STEM across primary grades and campus spaces'including an outdoor "Spark Park" and science vocabulary pillars to normalize regular science instruction from kindergarten upward.
Administration emphasized sustainability: staff said grant and partner funding for kits, robotics and training are secured for next year so campuses can sustain programs without one-off purchases.
Why it matters: Trustees said such programs can make school more attractive to families and help retain students who might otherwise transfer to charter schools. Board members asked how the STEM playbook and lessons would be shared with other campuses; administration said a written STEM playbook already exists and will be a conduit to scale practices across the district.
Ending: District staff said the pilot continues into the 2025-26 year with a full launch planned for 2026-27; staff asked trustees to help publicize events and noted the district's STEM trailer and CTE partnerships can support outreach and summer programming.
